A month after the Senate’s rejection of a bill establishing menstrual leave, deputies are preparing to table a bill to put it in place. For the occasion, several elected officials tested a period pain simulator.
Politics is not done with menstrual leave. On February 15, senators rejected a bill brought by the elected socialist Hélène Conway-Mouret, which aimed to “improve and guarantee health and well-being at work” and who predicted one work stoppage per month for women suffering from painful and incapacitating periods. After consultation with experts, environmentalist deputies Sébastien Peytavie, Sandrine Rousseau and Marie-Charlotte Garin also submitted a text. The proposal will be debated on March 27 in committee, and April 4 in session at the National Assembly.
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For the occasion, several MPs tried a period pain simulator, including Sébastien Peytavie, the project leader. This Friday, March 22, the latter published a video on X, which sets the tone from the credits: “One in two women suffer from painful and incapacitating periods. These pains can sometimes be similar to that of a heart attack“. LFI deputy Louis Boyard twists his stomach as soon as the device is activated. Pierre Cordier, elected by Les Républicains, describes the pain as “particular”. The elected Renaissance Clément Beaune, he does not see himself at all making a statement on the perch while suffering so much.
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“It’s really painful”
However, the voluntary deputies will be subjected to the test of reading the explanatory memorandum of the proposed law while suffering from menstrual pain. The text recalls in particular that in France, “15.5 million people between the ages of 13 and 50 menstruate”that they “menstruate for 2,280 days and will use 11,500 menstrual products in their lifetime, for an estimated cost of between 8,000 and 23,000 euros”. He also emphasizes all the challenges people with endometriosis face.
From Laurent Panifous (LIOT) to Carlos Martens Bilongo (LFI), via Stéphane Vojetta (Renaissance) and Maxime Minot (Les Républicains), everyone has to stop several times, gasping for breath from the peaks of pain. “Ultimately, one in two menstruating people suffer from painful periods, whether or not linked to an underlying pathology”explains the text. “There is no underlying pathology but it’s really painful“jokes LFI deputy Hadrien Clouet.
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“Little stabs”
After their ordeal, the elected officials are unanimous. “It’s obviously extremely difficult to concentrate at times“admits MP Erwan Balanant (MoDem). “It’s a good experience, because This allows us to better put ourselves in your place.. […] You feel like you’re getting little stabs.”reacts Maxime Minot (Les Républicains).
Questioned by Louis Boyard, Marie-Charlotte Garin, project leader, explains that“there are days when there are quite a few women who are very bad on the first and second day, and then it calms down. And then, there are some who are really doubled over to the point of not being able to get out or vomiting during many days”. The deputies then gave the test to Marianne, a young woman suffering from endometriosis. Accustomed to pain, she remained almost stoic, under the stunned gaze of the male representatives. If the initiative received a mixed reception on the Internet, with several users suggesting instead to listen to the people concerned, it allowed certain elected officials to understand period pain a little better.
Journalist
Passionate about writing, Floréane is interested in a wide variety of subjects. When she is not writing about current affairs, the environment or gender issues, she takes refuge under a blanket…